Benoit and wrestlers in general

[Stickman]

What he did was terrible and he's going to hell for it. With the amount of deaths in the industry I hope Congress gets involved since wrestling can't police itself.

However....

So many people on these boards and around the world are affected by it, passing judgement on the guy. Their mighty hero turned out to be a monster. We're shocked and appauled. But come on people, we have to quit putting pro wrestlers up on a pedastol. They are not the Saints many of you think they are. Probably the large majority have taken steriods. I can't believe some people think Benoit was not on the juice. It's pretty obvious just by looking at them that these guys have juiced. Many of them are into narcotics or abuse prescription meds. I doubt most of them are loyal to their wifes being on the road as often as they are. The boss tries to sweep shit under the carpet.

Not all wrestlers are bad guys, I'm sure some are completely clean. But I feel it's really important to remind you that these guys are not the nicest cleanist people in the world. Yes, there's bad people in every walk of life but we need to stop idolizing these guys so hard. Hulk Hogan was the biggest thing but the guy was on the juice and is a backstabber yet we worship the ground he walks on.

You can watch and enjoy professional wrestling, as I do, but really, don't be thinking the guys you watch are anything special outside the ring.

You guys can flame away all you want at me, but quit holding professional wrestlers to such a high standard.

[Theo Dious]

With the amount of deaths in the industry I hope Congress gets involved since wrestling can't police itself.

Yeah, because the government does SUCH a good job on these things. :n: :foc:

[IC Champion]

I agree with you in the part that I dont hold any celebrity, professional athletes, or anything like that on a pedastol.

But I however do not or ever have worshipped the ground Hogan Walks on, and anyone who does is a retard.

[Theo Dious]

But I however do not or ever have worshipped the ground Hogan Walks on, and anyone who does is a retard.

Yeah who the fuck is this "we" he speaks of?

[IC Champion]

His millions of Hulkamaniacs, Brother.

[Stickman]

I agree with you in the part that I dont hold any celebrity, professional athletes, or anything like that on a pedastol.

But I however do not or ever have worshipped the ground Hogan Walks on, and anyone who does is a retard.

Hulk Hogan was an example. He is the biggest name in the industry

[Stickman]

I think some celebritys and professional athletes you really can look up to. For example, hometown hero of the Vancouver Canucks, Trevor Linden, can be somebody you look up to. The guy busts his ass on the ice but gives back to the community and charities and does so much. The guy would never turn down an autograph. There are many many many pro athletes who "get it" and are people you can look up to. How many pro wrestlers give back the way sports stars do?

[Kane Knight]

Flame you? I'll fucking fellate you.

Seriously. Name the time and place. I keep saying this and nobody listens.

[Stickman]

Any time

[Stickman]

Hahaha, I got a neg rep by soembody who didn't even post in here.

[Mercury Bullet]

I was saying in another post, right now more than ever, the WWE needs "good" guys to save their image. They need guys that not only stay out of trouble, but get into the spotilight for doing positive things. The Make A Wish thing thye do once in a blue moon is fine, but I think they need more. For example, how the NFL works witht he United Way and then puts commercials for it featuring NFL players on TV. The WWE needs to get into that kind of stuff and it will give them much more mainstream acknowledgement and credibility.

[Mercury Bullet]

I dont agree to any sort of government intervention or regulation however...It doesn't help. Its not helping in baseball, its just causing a media circus.

[Theo Dious]

The WWE needs to get into that kind of stuff and it will give them much more mainstream acknowledgement and credibility.

And break kayfabe? THE HELL YOU SAY!

[Amaroqwolf]

Idolization just sickens me in general these days, you have stuipid dumb Teen girls idolizing the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohen, and stupid Dumb Teen boy's idolizing well people like Chris Benoit and the likes. Sorry Its hard for me to keep up what Teen boys are into sense I don't really hang around Teen Boys haha!

It just sickens me, if you wanna idolize someone, idolize someone that is a realistic goal for the common human. Sure maybe someday you'll be as rich and famous as Lohen or Hilton, and hell maybe you'll make it into wrestling and become as big of a name as Benoit...(Not that he was really truely known outside the wrestling circuit.) But, realisticly 99.5 % of us who do idolize those people will never amount to more then pencil pushers in a dead end job.

[Stickman]

Good point Amaroqwolf. I agree with you. Like why the fucking hell is Paris Hilton all over the news, paparazzi chasing her down the freeway? I dont' care, I don't really think people care but the media is telling us what to care about.
The WWE is telling us who to care about as well. Not on such a wide scale but it does sicken me idolizing people not worth it.

Does anybody really think Benoit was the nicest guy in the world? No, even other wrestlers on Raw were saying he was a standoffish low key guy.

[Stickman]

Anybody else find it strange that HHH, HBK, Ric Flair, Taker, whomever else, DID NOT have anything to say to the camera during Raw?

[Amaroqwolf]

Like I said in another thread, from the first time I saw him wrestle back in WCW Back some 12 years ago, I just...something about him I did NOT like,

[Theo Dious]

Anybody else find it strange that HHH, HBK, Ric Flair, Taker, whomever else, DID NOT have anything to say to the camera during Raw?

Umm, HHH did.

[Mercury Bullet]

I agree that we shouldn't idolize most celebrities, but the fact is a large quantity of the population do. And there isn't going to be any changing that. You can't just say "Stop idolizing these people" and then everyone nods their head in agreement. At the same time, we can't make celebrities behave in any certain way either. We do need though, to give people a choice. WWE for example, needs to emphasize and make public knowledge of good things some of their superstars are doing. Put those good things out in the media, and give people a choice in who to idolize. Hopefully peopole will realize that "Celebrity A" is a better role model for devoting some time to helping build homes with Habitat for Humanity as opposed to Paris Hilton who devotes time to being rich, breaking the law, and having 0 responsibility or accountability for her actions.

[Stickman]

AH, I asked in another thread what happened after Edge spoke as I fell asleep, and nobody mentioned HHH.

[Kane Knight]

I was saying in another post, right now more than ever, the WWE needs "good" guys to save their image.

Which won't happen. Not longterm.

[Mercury Bullet]

I don't think it'll be long term either. They may do it and then scrap it either way. If its successful, they'll do it long enough until they are getting the right kind of public attention and then drop it. And if it isn't successful they'll just drop it immediately.

[Jeritron]

Umm, HHH did.

That's the only one I haven't seen. Is there a youtube of it?

[Kane Knight]

I don't think it'll be long term either. They may do it and then scrap it either way. If its successful, they'll do it long enough until they are getting the right kind of public attention and then drop it. And if it isn't successful they'll just drop it immediately.

I'm more guessing it'll last until Punk dies with a needle in his arm, Lashley dies of a heart attack, or similar. The most natural looking champ in recent history is sadly John Cena. Everyone else looks coked or roided. Vince wants big guys. As such, any promotion will not be serious. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

[FourFifty]

If you have the government step into pro wrestling then you need to have them step into the film industry also. Why? Because wrestling isn't "real." It's drama. A soap opera where people do most of their own stunts. Now unless you're that "It's still real to me" guy I'd like to hear you defend your side now without saying the government needs to step into tv and movies.
Remember, we're not talking about sports.

[Kane Knight]

If you have the government step into pro wrestling then you need to have them step into the film industry also. Why? Because wrestling isn't "real." It's drama. A soap opera where people do most of their own stunts. Now unless you're that "It's still real to me" guy I'd like to hear you defend your side now without saying the government needs to step into tv and movies.
Remember, we're not talking about sports.

Have I missed an epidemic of steroid deaths in Hollywood? Or even drug deaths?

Remember, the Government doesn't only regulate sports. It does regulate a couple of other things.

[Jeritron]

It's entertainment, but it's still an athletic event. That's why it's recognized by the boxing commission. It's a ring sport, whther it's fictionalized or not. Because of the nature of the business, physicals, health concerns and all that jazz are needed.

In terms of story merit, or how "real" the events are you can liken it to a movie or television show.
But as an event and the activity put forth it's an athletic event. It's treated as so, and needs to be regulated as one as well.

[FourFifty]

No, but you have a court system, run by the government, that doesn't work. I'm sure if a young Sean Waltman had drug issues and was caught he'd have the book thrown at him. You have reports of actors doing whatever drugs they can find just to get a slap on the wrist. A man gets a dui and says all sorts of nasty things about the Jews and he gets off clean.
I'm sure there are more drugs ans darkness in Hollywood than in wrestling.

[Avenger]

I'm more guessing it'll last until Punk dies with a needle in his arm, Lashley dies of a heart attack, or similar. The most natural looking champ in recent history is sadly John Cena. Everyone else looks coked or roided. Vince wants big guys. As such, any promotion will not be serious. You can't have your cake and eat it too.lol You're saying Cena doesn't look roided?

[FourFifty]

It's not a sport.... Sports have rules and ways to enforce them. Wrestling has a man in a zebra stripped shirt who misses what's going on half the time.

[Jeritron]

Once again, that's part of the show. However it's still considered an athletic event. That's why there are paramedics and ambulances on hand, physicians, doctors, personal trainers.

It's recognized and has to be approved and sanctioned by state boxing and ring sport commissions. That's government.

The wrestlers themselves and the promotions need to be regulated and enforced more strongly in terms of health and wellness concerns. This won't happen without force. The government and the media need to get on them.

[Stickman]

Yeah, Cena looks pretty roided to me. WIth the Travel these guys do, especially top guys, there is NO way that they can stay in such great shape. That's why they juice.

A guy brought up an interesting point the other day on the radio. He said, wrestlers now look nothing like they did in the past. Killer Kawolski and such didn't have great looking bodies. A lot of guys back in the day looked like Trevor Murdoch.

[Jeritron]

Well there also wasn't the same workout equipment, quality and amount of high caliber gyms, legal and healthy dietary supplements and materials, knowledge of physiology and anatomy and excercise and dietary methods.
Nobody had builds back then (in anything, not just wrestling) that many have today without the use of any steroids.

It's a lot different now.

I'm not arguing what you're saying though.

[IC Champion]

Cena's on roids.

[Jeritron]

p.s. I don't know who has and who hasn't juiced. John Cena very well may have or still could, but it's not impossible to look like him without roids.
Others are more obvious, like Lashley Batista or Triple H.

Then there are those like Michaels, Jericho and others who you would say they probably don't juice. But still then, you don't know. Given the industry they're in, the probably did. At least at some point. Even Rey must have.
You just don't know.

The only ones you know don't juice are the Foley types

[Jeritron]

Cena's on roids.

I wasn't saying he isn't. Just pointing out the differences between 2007 and the 1960s in terms of all those things

[Stickman]

Well there also wasn't the same workout equipment, quality and amount of high caliber gyms, legal and healthy dietary supplements and materials, knowledge of physiology and anatomy and excercise and dietary methods.
Nobody had builds back then (in anything, not just wrestling) that many have today without the use of any steroids.

It's a lot different now.

I'm not arguing what you're saying though.

Um, just pointing out that they did have gyms back then.

[Mr. JL]

Anyone see Brian Lawler on CNN?

[IC Champion]

Yea I did, I've also seen Del Wilkes on there I think, and Bret Hart on CTV News. Appearently though there is an interview with Kevin Sullivan, I'd like to see that myself.

[Skippord]

Anyone see Brian Lawler on CNN?
Yeah, why the hell was he on CNN

also the chick who hosted that show was hot as fuck

[Pepsi Man]

You know, I'm not going to claim to know who does and doesn't use steroids or any other drug of any kind. I'm not backstage at WWE or any other pro wrestling promotion, and I don't know these guys personally. Sure, there's a lot of steroid use in wrestling, and yes, there are a lot of people with suspicious physiques, but I've seen looks prove to be deceiving way too many times in life to claim to be certain who does what, when I don't see these people on any kind of regular basis off of television.

[Jeritron]

Um, just pointing out that they did have gyms back then.

Um, just pointing out that they weren't the same. They had cars and televisions back then too, even computers. Not as good though.

[Stickman]

Nothing was the same back then. But they did have gyms. You said they didn't.

[Jeritron]

No I didn't. Read my post again

[Jeritron]

hint: keywords are "the same", "quality" and "amount"

[Kane Knight]

Jeritron, Stickman is like, phenomenally stupid.

Don't be surprised that he's claiming you said something any literate person would know you didn't.

[Stickman]

Ya my bad.

[Kane Knight]

It's not a sport.... Sports have rules and ways to enforce them.

And yet, often those rules are as well enforced as pro wrestling.

[Ben Rodrigues]

I love how people feel they're able to judge others. And then they get to the next level after that - we're they don't judge anyone anymore and go on about it - thus becoming the judges of the judgers. Can't we just allow Chris Benoit be? He's laughing right now with Eddie and such about how silly he was, and it really has nothing to do with anyone else other then those involved.

[addy2hotty]

I love how people feel they're able to judge others. And then they get to the next level after that - we're they don't judge anyone anymore and go on about it - thus becoming the judges of the judgers. Can't we just allow Chris Benoit be? He's laughing right now with Eddie and such about how silly he was, and it really has nothing to do with anyone else other then those involved.

Don't be silly. We've all got a moral high ground to shout from. Some round here have little wings you know, and little halos so they can easily judge others. I mean, we all KNEW him didn't we? Never done a bad thing in their lives some of them.

I'll let others call him a 'sick fuck' etc, and I'll judge the man on how I really knew him - as a performer in the ring.

[Ben Rodrigues]

Don't be silly. We've all got a moral high ground to shout from. Some round here have little wings you know, and little halos so they can easily judge others. I mean, we all KNEW him didn't we? Never done a bad thing in their lives some of them.

I'll let others call him a 'sick fuck' etc, and I'll judge the man on how I really knew him - as a performer in the ring.

Touché. One of the greatest in ring technicians of all time.

[Jeritron]

How can you tell people to not judge a situation that took place in reality, but pass off complete claims like that he's "laughing about all this with Eddie" in some dream world you've made up? You're just as out of line as anyone.

[Jeritron]

I'll let others call him a 'sick fuck' etc, and I'll judge the man on how I really knew him - as a performer in the ring.

Oh you must have missed the part where he killed his seven your old son in his bed

[Jeritron]

Seriously though, you say you only knew him as a performer in the ring. But you know him as a murderer just as much as you know him as a performer.

None of us have ever "known" the man in either department. I always have stressed that we don't "know" these people. But that doesn't mean we don't know what happened.

[Ben Rodrigues]

How can you tell people to not judge a situation that took place in reality, but pass off complete claims like that he's "laughing about all this with Eddie" in some dream world you've made up? You're just as out of line as anyone.

I hate discussing organised religion with people - because it just gets out of hand as everyone has the right book and everyone thinks they're right. So I'll just say this and any further argument you bring up I'll just ignore.

Why wouldn't he be with Eddie, Owen and the rest? So God not only in his infinite intelligence and creator of everything (as it goes) - created not only evil, but evil on the same level as him. And is so shallow and vain, as to choose his favourites to join him in the 'Kingdom of Heaven' and banish those who don't worship or follow "his" teachings, that have been retold so many times over the years that they're nowhere near what they originally were written as.

[Jeritron]

I'm not gonna get into this, but he didn't die from lingering health effects, or a harness mishap. I don't think I have to go into it any more.

[Kane Knight]

I hate discussing organised religion with people - because it just gets out of hand as everyone has the right book and everyone thinks they're right. So I'll just say this and any further argument you bring up I'll just ignore.

Why wouldn't he be with Eddie, Owen and the rest? So God not only in his infinite intelligence and creator of everything (as it goes) - created not only evil, but evil on the same level as him. And is so shallow and vain, as to choose his favourites to join him in the 'Kingdom of Heaven' and banish those who don't worship or follow "his" teachings, that have been retold so many times over the years that they're nowhere near what they originally were written as.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Fine. Everyone goes to Heaven.

[Jeritron]

No, just people who've had great matches I suppose

[Ben Rodrigues]

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Fine. Everyone goes to Heaven.

Exactly.

[Jeritron]

Is that a fact?

[Ben Rodrigues]

Is that a fact?

Nope because who am I to determine what is truth? Everyone has their own path - as long as it makes you happy. There are enough paths for everyone.

[addy2hotty]

No, just people who've had great matches I suppose

Would you be so angry if a shit wrestler had done this?

[Pepsi Man]

No, just people who've had great matches I suppose
Fuck, I guess I'd better hit the weights.

(sorry, no offense meant to either you OR Ben; just had to take the opening there.)

[Kane Knight]

Nope because who am I to determine what is truth?

That would be a great argument if you didn't affirmatively assert that Benoit was in Heaven. As it is, it's pretty retarded.

[Ben Rodrigues]

That would be a great argument if you didn't affirmatively assert that Benoit was in Heaven. As it is, it's pretty retarded.

For you to say he's not - I could say that's pretty retarded in itself.

[Ben Rodrigues]

For the record I don't believe in hell or heaven for that matter. Just afterlife, where we are pure positive energy.

[Ben Rodrigues]

That's my view though - I'm sure you have a book that says otherwise.

[Kane Knight]

For you to say he's not - I could say that's pretty retarded in itself.

You could, but you'd be retarded to.

I'll give you three guesses as to why.

[Jeritron]

Would you be so angry if a shit wrestler had done this?


I would view him and judge him the same, so yes. Of course, it wouldn't have the attention, shock value and connection to me and all of us. It's being discussed, and it's a big thing. Since it's being talked about so much, my views are more spoken.
But to answer your question simply, yes I would be. A murderer is a murder regardless if hes a main eventer in WWE, an indy wrestler, or works as a Clerk somewhere in 711. Since the action is known to me, as is the culprit (know of him, not him personally) I have a stronger mind on the matter. But my view and judgement is the same.

I've stated in other threads a similar thought as yours by asking "would you defend him if he was a shitty wrestler" towards people who have defended him and/or his now meaningless career (IMO which I feel is sound).
Bottom line is it doesn't matter who it was, it matters what they did.

As for my comment about "no they just have to have great matches" was a sarcastic remark for those who didn't pick up on it. It was in response to the belief that all of those guys are in the same place regardless of their lives, but linked by what they did as wrestlers. Which to me was an absurd statement.

I don't know what I believe in fully. But if there is a heaven, he aint there. If there is a hell, he is. If there's nothing, then his last acts as an existing being was probably the worst that can be committed by a human being. And if we all turn into positive energy as Ben Rodrigues claims, then for that I really got nothing for you other than a big :|

But addy, you seem to have a problem with my view of the situation or at least my desire to let it be known. That's fine, I will stop for the most part.

p.s. How does positive energy gather around as persons and laugh about matters. Does positive energy have a sense of humor and a set of lungs and vocal cords? Enlighten me on these facts.

[Stickman]

Some religious broad told me that hell doesnt' exist but heaven does. I thought you couldn't have one without the other.

[Theo Dious]

Some religious broad told me that hell doesnt' exist but heaven does. I thought you couldn't have one without the other.

Meh, not necessarily, it just depends on your view of the universe.

[Kane Knight]

Some religious broad told me that hell doesnt' exist but heaven does. I thought you couldn't have one without the other.

You consider that Hell in the modern sense is only around a Thousand years old. Which means it's only about half as old as the Christian religion itself.

For thousands of years, there was Heaven without Hell.

[Slow]

I'm just waiting for Ragnarok, personally. But anyway, about the steroids thing: no-one, unless i missed it, mentioned Edge. He, in my eyes, is (despite the small issue of being a heel, and sleeping with matt hardy's girlfriend (although it WAS matt hardy, so whatever)) a good role model for kids. He's blatantly not on steroids, (apart from when he injured his neck, but that was for healing purposes) and he's such a nice bloke outside of wrestling as well.



It's possible i just made my own argument redundant there

[Stickman]

I'm just waiting for Ragnarok, personally. But anyway, about the steroids thing: no-one, unless i missed it, mentioned Edge. He, in my eyes, is (despite the small issue of being a heel, and sleeping with matt hardy's girlfriend (although it WAS matt hardy, so whatever)) a good role model for kids. He's blatantly not on steroids, (apart from when he injured his neck, but that was for healing purposes) and he's such a nice bloke outside of wrestling as well.



It's possible i just made my own argument redundant there


Are you a close friend of him or what?

Also, anytime you here of a tragedy like this the first thing people say, "He was such a nice person I would never expect this out of him."

[Kane Knight]

I'm just waiting for Ragnarok, personally. But anyway, about the steroids thing: no-one, unless i missed it, mentioned Edge. He, in my eyes, is (despite the small issue of being a heel, and sleeping with matt hardy's girlfriend (although it WAS matt hardy, so whatever)) a good role model for kids. He's blatantly not on steroids, (apart from when he injured his neck, but that was for healing purposes) and he's such a nice bloke outside of wrestling as well.



It's possible i just made my own argument redundant there

If he's not on steroids, why does he still have more or less the same build as the "recovery" period?

By the way, I'd wager more people than you'd expect are on steroids. Since, you know, not everyone's aiming for "brock Lesnar."

[Arnold HamNegger]

Some religious broad told me that hell doesnt' exist but heaven does.

Tell her to tune into Spike TV 9pm on Thursdays.

[Arnold HamNegger]

Good topic. :y:

IMO, this world would be a better place if people looked for Heroes in their everyday lives. Children should be role modeling themselves after the people working their fingers to the bone to put a roof over there head, cloths on their back and food on their tables. They should be quoting things learned in school from their teachers, not catchphrases from cartoonish bulked up Entertainers or Professional Athletes.

How we have become so obsessed with other peoples lives who most of us will never even meet, let alone know...is totally beyond me. It's even sad to hear things like people on ECW (so I heard) chanting things like "WE WANT BENOIT!" Seriously, what is wrong with people? Are we so selfish that we value ourselves being entertained over the value of human life? What are going through peoples heads? "Yeah, it's a little sad about him murdering his wife and son, then killing himself...but what I'm really sad about is that he wil no longer be here to entertain ME!"

To a certain extent, I'm guilty of the same feelings as well. I think that's why this whole thing has hit me so hard, because it's made me analyze my own priorities in life. Why does this bother me so much? Yes, the loss of 3 lives is tragic...but why do I feel so justified in throwing my speculated opinions around about a man's character who I've seen on TV for over a decade...BUT NEVER EVEN MET. And why are people more concerned with how this is going to affect the Wrestling Industry over finding out the truth of what happened in this tragedy. The loss of actual human lives seems to take a back seat to a variety of different priorities. "I'm mad at Benoit because this is a huge blow to wrestling!" Come on now, doesn't that seem a little absurd? God forbid you think of the loss of 3 lives before you are concerned with someone damaging an entertainment outlet for your own selfish life.

Things we run to for entertainment escapes, such as wrestling...we are so quick to defend and fight for to the bitter end. Why? Would it really be so bad if Wrestling came to an end? Is it so bad that we as people would have to do something as far fetched as, oh I don't know...live our own lives on Monday, Tuesday's, Thursday's and Sundays? I've loved wrestling my whole life and I don't think that will ever fade away. But I don't feel comfortable right now in my own skin knowing that I selfishly am angry at the fact that I will never be able to enjoy Chris Benoit on my TV screen...and that takes priority at times to the thoughts I have of the 3 lives that were lost. "Damn you Benoit for tarnishing your legacy and preventing me from enjoying your past matches and career! I can never again watch a DVD with you in it!" I hate that I think that briefly, rather than "Damn you Benoit for killing your wife and child." God forbid I use that time I'd be sitting on my ass watching a Benoit DVD or match and do something constructive with my life. Spend time with my girlfriend, call my parents, hang out with friends, etc.

It's easy to take the easy road and lose yourself in entertainment outlets such as wrestling, movies, TV, comedy and the like...but at some point you have to put your own life into perspective. Hell, being an entertainer myself I'm torn. I love people coming out to clubs and wanting to have a few drinks and laugh at some comedy...but I don't want you out watching me instead of spending time with your own children. This to me is where the whole process starts off, parents constantly pawning off their kids selfishly to a baby sitter so they can go off and "entertain themselves." Of course kids are gonna drift off and idolize people they see on TV. They become more familiar with the faces on TV than their own parents sometimes. The media chooses who to glorify and put in the public eye. I find it appauling in our society that a golfer can spend 4 days walking around and hitting a goddamn ball and take home a bigger paycheck that Sunday than most teachers &/or people that actually contribute something to improving society will ever make in their entire lives!

Of course kids would rather be like Tiger Woods than their own father who is a Janitor at the local school. These false idols and overpaid celebrities and athletes are turned into Gods by the media and that's the path we show to kids. "Be like Mike." Not, "Be like your hardworking Mom or Dad." Society is so quick to and seems to THRIVE off rewarding celebrities for allowing them to escape their own lives by providing endless entertainment escapes...just by the sheer fact of allowing us to sit on our asses to do so, rather than find an escape through living life itself.

Will this ever change? Probably not. My hat's off to any parents reading this, because I don't have kids and I can't comprehend what an incredible responsibility that is. I'm not saying I can do a better job than anyone out there, but my dreams for having children are simple. I'm going try my best to insure when they come home from school, the first thing they want to do is give me a hug instead of going to the couch and turning on the TV.

I need to start with turning the TV off myself.

[Stickman]

Good job Arnold.

I agree that heroes should be found elsewhere and everything you said.

But one thing I could add too is that aspiring to be like Tiger Woods is much much better than aspiring to be a fictional character who you know nothing aabout other than his in ring persona. Like fuck, pro wrestlers often times don't even go by their real name. Steve Austin is a hero whether he should be or not, but come on, that's not even his name. Same with Shawn Michaels. I'd love to be as good as those guys but they are fictional characters.

At least movie stars play fictional characters but are always interviewed as the person they are. The only time you see a wrestler not in character is on Off the Record on TSN. Idolizing people on tv is one thing, but for "grown ups" like us on the board to be pissed off and shit is lame.

[Arnold HamNegger]

Good job Arnold.

I agree that heroes should be found elsewhere and everything you said.

But one thing I could add too is that aspiring to be like Tiger Woods is much much better than aspiring to be a fictional character who you know nothing aabout other than his in ring persona. Like fuck, pro wrestlers often times don't even go by their real name. Steve Austin is a hero whether he should be or not, but come on, that's not even his name. Same with Shawn Michaels. I'd love to be as good as those guys but they are fictional characters.

At least movie stars play fictional characters but are always interviewed as the person they are. The only time you see a wrestler not in character is on Off the Record on TSN. Idolizing people on tv is one thing, but for "grown ups" like us on the board to be pissed off and shit is lame.

Yeah, it's also unfortunate that the only time it becomes public with what their real name is and who they are as a real person, is when their life comes to a tragic early end. That's got to be such a toll, living your life in a profession that thrives on keeping your true identity behind a curtain. I can see how to some, reality becomes scued with the persona. Making a relationship work, raising a family and everyone being happy in that little bubble at home must be so incredibly difficult, if not impossible. The demands on their bodies, their minds, their time definitely don't seem worth the paycheck and fame IMO. I honestly don't know how they do it. I can look at myself honestly and say that I couldn't. If I tried, I'd be just another tragic story myself.

When you put it all out on paper, it seems even more ridiculous to idolize these people, because the idolization, money and fame is what fuels most of them to a tragic end. We as fans seem to just discard them when we're through, then move on to the next. Almost like a sadistic box of Kleenex.

I guess as a wrestler, if that is the passion you are born with though, you don't have much choice but to ride it out. I'd be curious to ask any of the deceased if they thought it was all worth it. To them it may be, but to their children it may be a different story. Wow, what an ironic viscious circle of life that is huh? The thing you're passionate at and what you are born to do to provide the best life that you possibly can for your family...also seems destined to take you away from them so soon. :nono:

[Felipewcw]

On the topic of where Benoit went after his death.....

He was Canadian. He went to the place all Canadians go when they die.....:o

[Theo Dious]

On the topic of where Benoit went after his death.....

He was Canadian. He went to the place all Canadians go when they die..... :o

The International House of Pancakes? :?: